Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Piracy

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Posted by Justin Gorka (Member # 3727) on 05-26-2009, 04:23 PM:

The new Terminator is available to download from a PtP site. OK we know it's crap, but having had a cheeky look it looks like a perfect copy... 5.1 surround? Why are projectionists always getting the blame?. We, in the UK, are to be showing Transformers before the US, it will be interesting to see what quality appears on the net before the US get it!
I still don't understand why anyone in these days of home cinema would even consider a pirate!

Posted by Thomas Pitt (Member # 4322) on 05-26-2009, 05:23 PM:

Two words - cost and speed. Most pirate copies cost much less than the official DVDs, and also they're out many, many months before official copies. But you often get poorer quality picture/sound, and the guilt of knowing you're contributing to the studio's losses.

Personally, I would rather wait for an official DVD of a movie than go for a pirate copy, even if the pirate's out at the same time as the movie's showing in theaters!

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 05-26-2009, 05:43 PM:

quote: Justin Gorka
Why are projectionists always getting the blame?

They are? Since when exactly?

Just because they lock the cans or (in our case) send some reels first then follow later with the rest...that's to stop it being run too early and anyone having the possibility of taping it.

I think you'd be hard pressed to find anyone blaming the entire thing always on projectionists.

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 05-26-2009, 05:47 PM:

quote:
I still don't understand why anyone in these days of home cinema would even consider a pirate!

So the only movie you looked for came out to be a perfect copy and you don't understand why people consider looking for pirated copies? Surely this isn't what you meant.

Posted by Dennis Benjamin (Member # 1137) on 05-27-2009, 02:51 PM:

The point that the man is trying to make is that the MPAA has, for years, been trying to say that Movie Theatres are 'mostly' to blame for Piracy (or now they call it 'film theft').

Now that we live in a digital age, the copies of films that are available for download off of the Internet are usually digital copies. As with "Terminator:Salvation" and other films, I am not surprised that pristine versions of these films are available for download.

If any film makes it onto the Internet for download that was either cammed or telesynced at a movie theatre, and the person was dumb enough not to erase the cap code, said person will be caught (or at least the theatre where the crime occured will be reprimanded).

The chances of someone getting caught letting loose a digital copy of a film is less, because that person typically works for (or is affiliated) with an actual film company. All digital watermarks are usually removed because they are just not that dumb.

Now my big question that I had for the guy who is in charge of busting these 'film thieves' - was how are we going to bust the people who are downloading these films off the Internet? He said that is was virtually impossible to do so. The FBI, and other agencies don't have time to track the millions of people who are downloading the films, they are just interested in the ones uploading them.

So, they are going after the people who they can catch. Period.
_________________________________________________________________
The views, opinions, remarks, endorsements, etc. as indicated here and throughout the rest of my posts are my own; they do not, in any way, represent those of the various companies or organizations with which I may imply being associated, through such means including, but not necessarily limited to, current or past employment; nor do I speak on behalf of any such companies or organizations.

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 05-27-2009, 03:02 PM:

We ARE the whipping buys. . . . . and we don't evn get the money! Seems normal! Louis

Posted by Joe Tommassello (Member # 4632) on 05-27-2009, 05:01 PM:

Arrrgghh! I remember downloading the final lightsaber battle from Star Wars Episode Two a couple of nights before the theatrical release. I watched about ten seconds of it...just enough to know it was the real thing because, frankly, I didn't believe it would be.

I recently watched a "pirate" DVD of Gran Torino. It's the first time in over ten years I watched an entire pirated movie. Initially I passed on the offer saying I'd rather wait until the real product comes out because I don't like either the idea or the quality of pirate copies. Two family members swore that this was the exact same quality as a DVD you'd buy in the store. Well that piqued my curiousity so I took it. The original source was obviously a screening disc, but due to ignorance about digital vs. analog copying it looked like a second generation VHS copy at best and the audio was about cassette tape quality. So I am back to my usual practice of politely declining when people offer me pirated discs...even if they're "perfect".

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 05-27-2009, 10:24 PM:

DVD screener discs are the gaping security hole enabling a LOT of movie piracy. I think it is full out hypocrisy for movie theaters to get the blame when the screener discs are the bigger problem.

The screener discs are most often the source used to upload movies to the Internet before the movie arrives in theaters. The disc data is already compatible with DVD players. Old security standards allow watermarks and other stuff to be removed pretty easily. The discs often have Dolby Digital 5.1 audio -something you don't get from a camcorder video of the theater screen. Piracy operations overseas love those screener discs because they can duplicate them on a massive scale.

Still, Hollywood thinks putting crap code on 35mm prints and promoting 3D will plug the leak. What a pretentious load of crap.

My feeling is Hollywood is overstating the piracy problem. I doubt it is hurting their business as badly as they say. If piracy was really such a giant problem every Hollywood studio would yank the plug on the practice of supplying screener DVDs to actors, studio execs, various VIPs and critics. But they're not doing that.

Obviously the money Hollywood studios are losing on screener disc piracy is a small enough amount that it isn't changing their practice of providing the convenience they love so much in viewing their movies on DVD prior to theatrical release.

Piracy is also a common scapegoat when a new movie doesn't perform to expectations at the box office. Never mind the factors which come into play on why the movie itself is a forgettable piece of crap. The companies who own all the major studios in Hollywood hate taking chances on new ideas. So if we don't want to be spoon fed the same flavor of swill endlessly, piracy is an option on why the failed movie didn't do so well.

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 05-28-2009, 03:15 PM:

Remember lousy films do not make any money for the pirates either. Louis

Posted by Claude S. Ayakawa (Member # 1401) on 05-28-2009, 05:59 PM:

A friend loaned me a pirated copy of CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE 3RD KIND on VHS when it was playing an exclusive first run at the Waikiki #3 many years ago and it was terrible! I loathed the practice of illegal pirated films and and only watched the first couple of minutes of the pirated material and I was disgusted. How can anyone anyone be satisfied watching this piece of crap instead of seeing it in a theatre in 70mm with 6 track Dolby sound like I did was something I could never understand. As a professional portrait photographer for almost forty five years, I along with all of my colleagues all over the world are also having the same problem as the motion picture industry. Our problem in the still photography industry is much worse because my clients now buy only One print instead of the multitude of copies they used to purchase in the past and would be able make perfect copies with their print scanners at home. Although the Professional Photographers of America, our national organization has been very successful in getting drug stores and one hour photo labs to stop reproducing our copy protected mages without our permission, the digital age has just about killed our industry.

-Claude

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 05-29-2009, 11:44 AM:

I think professional photographers simply have to charge customers whatever is worth it to them to turn loose of the digital file. And you have to bill for every bit of time used in altering color and other features in the photo. More than a few customers are guaranteed to take the digital file or a hard copy print of it and have others reproduce the work when they need some copies. Make them buy out the copyright on it.

Print production is yet another issue, one I'm not going to get involved in unless it is large format related work associated with my day job.

The bigger problem facing professional photography is like that facing the rest of the graphics industry: rampant de-professionalism. Or amateur hour crap run amok. Who needs a professional photographer when a $200 8 megapixel camera is just as good? You wouldn't believe the kind of crap I see on a regular basis that customers bring in and try to pass off as artwork, be it a photo, logo, etc.

The same kind of ignorant mindset is definitely at work when it comes to people viewing pirated movies.

Posted by Claude S. Ayakawa (Member # 1401) on 05-29-2009, 01:45 PM:

Bobby,

What you had said is sadly true in my professional photography industry but I am very proud to say I am not among those who pass of shoddy work and call myself a professional photographer. During the past 44 years since opening my studio in 1965, I have operated my business in the most professional manner and offered my customers nothing but my best effort Throughout those years, my work has been accepted and exhibited all over the United States by the Professional Photographers of America and many of them have been published. I have also earned several national credentials such as my Master of Photography and Photographic Craftsman degrees from the PPA and have been invited to speak and teach at conventions all over the United States, Japan and in London. Beside my national and international achievements, I have been recognized by my community for the quality of my work and service to my community. Because I have established an excellent reputation for doing high quality work,I do get work from people who recognize quality and I do charge accordingly for my images and service. I am very sure you are very good in your graphic profession and like me find it very frustrating when others in our industry pass off substandard work as professional.

-Claude

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 05-29-2009, 02:15 PM:

The problem is most people seem to think the computerized hardware (D-SLR camera) or the software (Photoshop, Illustrator --or more likely MS Publisher, etc.) is doing all the work. They think those tools eliminate the need for trained professionals to produce the work.

Posted by John Hawkinson (Member # 1135) on 05-29-2009, 02:49 PM:

I am a little struck by the email from WB sent to people who've signed up for such things on their web site:

quote:

Date: Thu, 28 May 2009 15:26:11 PDT
From: "Warner Bros." <warnerbros@email-warnerbros.com>
Subject: TERMINATOR SALVATION: Digital Downloads available now!

Though following the personalized link in the email merely takes you to a page offering to sell you an "original digital series," tv episodes, and T3 via Itunes and Amazon video, as well as mobile phone apps and PC games via some other sites.

--jhawk